Ujjwala Sanitary Napkin initiative

The oil marketing companies have launched Ujjwala Sanitary Napkin Initiative, as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Odisha.

According to the data from the National Family Health Survey-4, overall use of sanitary napkins in Odisha is 33.5 per cent and only 42.8 per cent of rural women between the age of 15 and 24 years use proper hygienic methods of protection during menstruation.

The oil companies came up with this initiative keeping this scenario in mind.

Under the Initiative:

Around 100 local manufacturing units will be set up by oil marketing companies at Common Service Centres (CSCs) across 93 blocks in all 30 districts of Odisha.

Each facility will have the capacity to produce 1200-2000 pads each day.

Each facility will also have a sterilization room to ensure that the napkins are sterilized before they are packed for use of rural women.

The companies will provide machineries and raw material for one time.

Then the women will manage it and earn by selling the pads.

The women will also be provided with proper training in the manufacturing and sale of sanitary napkins.

The oil companies have started this initiative on a pilot basis and would be expanded across the state if the module gets success.

What are Common Service Centres?

Common Service Centres are physical facilities for delivering Government of India e-Services to rural and remote locations where availability of computers and Internet was negligible or mostly absent.